Reflecting Shadows
by Magic Of Every Kind
Summary: Harrison did not work alone; Elizabeth and Lilia Smith are drawn into his plans, oblivious to his true intentions. By the time they realise the truth, it's too late. Now Lilia must continue her mother's work, righting their wrongs and doing everything to stop one man from taking over the world...again. But the past has a funny way of repeating itself...
1. Prologue

**Star Trek: Into Darkness FanFiction Story set before, during and after the movie (first chapters are before and during, but most chapters will be after). Contains OC and Canon Characters (main character is an OC, but please...she's nothing special). For hardcore Trekkies, my main focus for this story is the Eugenics Wars, so if you have any input or I get anything wrong then I'm all ears!**

**I don't own Star Trek (unfortunately) and this will be the only disclaimer.**

**This is a re-write of my story 'Mercy' so if you've transferred over then welcome! If you're new, then still...welcome! I hope you enjoy my story :)**

* * *

**Prologue**

_I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious_ - Einstein

* * *

**Stardate 2251.34 - 3rd April 2251**

It was a mild day in central London, and clouds meandered lazily across the sky, letting rays of light scatter over the vast metropolis below. St Elizabeth's School stood out from most other buildings due to its age, an almost ancient structure amongst new. It was aided by the small park that surrounded it, cloaking it in a pleasant green which helped set the tone for the late 19th century school. Students could be seen making their way from the lawns and playgrounds back into school, having obviously just been on their break. Outside one of the History classrooms, students lined up and chatted quietly to each other as they waited for the teacher to let them in.

A few seconds later, the door opened and their teacher, a middle-aged woman with greying hair and glasses, ushered them all inside. The class settled in their usual seats, quiet under the stern but fair eye of their teacher. Not one for waffling, the woman cut straight to the point of the lesson.

"Today we are moving on from our study of the Second World War, to another war that took place only a few decades after, in the late 20th century. This war was named the Eugenics Wars, and we will be studying it in detail for the next half term. Now, can anyone tell me what they know about the Eugenics wars?" A few hands went up, and she pointed to a blond boy.

"The Eugenics Wars took place between 1992 and 1996, and nearly 35 million people were killed during them." The teacher nodded grimly,

"That is correct. Anyone else?" Another pupil, a young Denobulan hybrid, raised her hand tentatively.

"Were they the result of genetic engineering and selective breeding of humans earlier in the century?" she asked quietly. The teacher gave her a small smile,

"They were, a group of scientists had been experimenting with creating what they believed to be 'supermen', or Augments as they were popularly known, by tampering with their genetics. Anything else?" There was a pause, and then a girl at the back of the class raised her hand slowly, waiting to be acknowledged by the teacher before speaking.

"The Augments were supposed to help bring ordinary humans peace but instead they brought us war," she murmured in a low voice that carried over her classmates heads. The woman pursed her lips,

"True, the Augments were supposed to lead us into an age of peace, but they believed themselves to be superior in every way and so decided to rule over ordinary humans instead. Has anyone else got anything to add?" When no hands went up, the teacher nodded and moved to her desk, pulling towards her a sheet of graphite with a textbook cover imprinted on it. Flicking through the pages, she glanced up at her class, "please turn to page 394, where we'll read about the beginnings of the Eugenics Wars. Lilia, could you read the first two paragraphs for us?"

A young girl seated by the window looked up as her name was called, then bobbed her head as she opened her own graphite textbook. Finding the necessary page, she scanned the words briefly before reading aloud.

"The Eugenics Wars occurred on Earth from 1992 to 1996, and resulted in significant changes in science and ethics that are still in place to this day. Records from the Wars themselves are incomplete, but it is commonly acknowledged that the roots of the Wars lay in a group of human scientists and their ambitions to create a race of 'supermen' through selective breeding and genetic engineering. They were successful in their attempts, creating humans who were mentally and physically above ordinary humans. This new race were popularly known as Augments, and they had many additional attributes thanks to their genetic modification. The Augments were five times stronger than the average normal human, their lung efficiency was 50% better than normal, and their intelligence was double that of normal humans, reaching 300+ in some cases. Their natural senses were also enhanced, giving them a better awareness of their surroundings.

"The Augments were created by scientists in the 1950s during the Cold War era, with the notion that their superiority would lead ordinary humans into an era of peace in a world that had experienced three major wars in one century. However, an aspect overlooked by the scientists was the personality of the Augments, resulting in the race possessing aggressive and arrogant traits that the scientists were unable to rectify. An unknown scientist was quoted as saying that 'superior ability breeds superior ambition'. It was this superior ambition that led the Augments to rebel against their creators and begin a campaign for world dominance." The girl stopped reading and bit her lip, clearly a little disturbed by what she had just read.

"Thank you, Lilia. Now I want you to get into twos and make a list of…" the teacher went on, but the girl wasn't really listening. Turning to look out the window once more, Lilia Smith frowned in thought as she dwelt on the work of her ancestors and all they had strived to achieve. Had the scientists known there would be consequences to their actions? Or had they not anticipated any negative effects? Surely someone at the time must have raised objections to creating 'superior' humans.

"Lilia?" a voice from her right brought her out of her thoughts and she blinked. Her friend Bella was watching her expectantly, a blank sheet of graphite before her.

"What are we doing?" Lilia asked, shuffling over to join her friend. Bella hid a smirk,

"Making a list of the pros and cons of genetically engineering humans," she recited patiently, "using what we know and what we understand," she added at Lilia's baffled look.

"Oh, ok," the girl agreed, unconsciously zoning out once again as her thoughts drifted back to her questions. Bella poked her, gesturing the sheet, and Lilia gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry." Bella rolled her eyes in mock irritation, and Lilia smiled. Bending their heads over, the girls began to plan.

* * *

Lilia slid her key into the front door lock and with a small beep it swung open. She went in, dumping her school bag in the hallway as she headed for the kitchen. Her mother and brother were at the table going over his homework, and she muttered a brief hello to them as she fetched herself a glass of milk.

"Hello Lily," her brother chirruped in greeting, evidently keen for any distraction from his homework. Lilia smiled at him as she took the seat opposite him,

"Hello Bean," she retorted good naturedly. Her mother, seeing it was futile to continue with her son, got up to get herself a drink.

"How was school, Lilia?" she asked, pouring herself and her son a cup of juice.

"It was ok," Lilia replied with a half-hearted shrug, "we learned about the Eugenics Wars in History." Her mother's eyebrows rose,

"Did you now? Is that your new topic for the term?" Lilia nodded in response, wiping a white moustache from her upper lip as her brother giggled. "I spent a year of my genetics degree studying the Eugenics Wars," she went on with a smile, "so if you ever need any help with homework or want to impress Ms Wood."

"What is the Eugenics Wars?" Lilia's brother piped up, slurping his juice noisily as his mother sat down.

"They were in the late 20th century," his mother explained, "when normal humans were fighting against superhumans." Her son frowned in thought,

"But why would they fight?"

"Because the superhumans thought they were better than the normal humans and wanted to rule over them," came the reply.

"But superhumans _are_ better than normal humans," the young boy pointed out, "that's why they're super."

"They were still humans, Lian," his mother told him sincerely, "and super or not we all lived on the same planet and shared the same heritage."

"What happened to them?"

"The superhumans did rule over normal humans, but only for a few years, and then the normal humans rebelled and the superhumans either died or went into exile."

"Is that why there are no more superhumans?" Lilia's brother asked quietly. Their mother nodded sombrely,

"That's right, there's a law which means we can't make any more superhumans."

"Oh," was all the young boy said before focusing on draining his juice.

"Why would we want to make superhumans in the first place?" Lilia enquired, fiddling with her empty glass, "why not be content with the way we were…are?"

"They thought they could perfect what nature had already made perfect," her mother replied.

"We're not perfect," Lilia gave her mother a sceptical look.

"No, we're not. We're flawed and damaged, and we know it and strive to do better. That's what makes us perfect." Lilia took a moment to appreciate her mother's wisdom, then Lian distracted them both by balancing his cup on his nose like a seal. Excusing herself, Lilia headed for the comfort of her room.

"Don't forget Uncle Alex and Carol are coming over for tea at 6:00pm," her mother called after her as Lilia collected her bag. The girl smiled at this news, her uncle and cousin were always good company and ever since her aunt had died 4 years ago they'd been coming over a lot more frequently. It was only 3:46pm, so that gave her time to do her homework and relax before they arrived. In her room, she set her bag down on the bed next to where Einstein the cat lay sound asleep, rifling through it for her textbook and notes. Pulling out the necessary items, she went to her desk and began to work.

* * *

The doorbell rang and was immediately followed by an excited,

"I'll get it!" from Lian. Lilia marked her page in the book she was reading, Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, tidying her hair before going downstairs. When she reached the hall the front door was already closed and two familiar faces had appeared.

"Hi Lilia," her uncle beamed at her as she went to hug him.

"Hi Uncle Alex," she replied, then turning to her cousin, "hi Carol," she hugged the other girl.

"How are you?" her blond cousin asked. Lilia nodded,

"I'm good, how are you?"

"School's boring," Carol replied with a grimace, causing her father to chuckle and clap her on the shoulder.

"It's not supposed to be fun, cupcake," he told her.

"Carol!" a new voice exclaimed from the top of the stairs and Lilia turned to see her older sister on her way down, a wide smile on her face. Her sister, Manda, was three years older than her and nearly 16, possessing all the blossoming beauty and grace of a young woman entering her prime, something which Lilia doubted she would get. Manda and Carol embraced fiercely, being the same age and good friends as well as cousins. The two exchanged pleasantries as the two wandered into the kitchen where Lilia's father was cooking their meal.

"Alex, good to see you," he called over his shoulder to his brother-in-law.

"Jason, I see Liz has got you doing the housework again," Alex laughed at the other man's apron which had 'Model Househusband. Cleans and cooks. Powered by nagging and food. Ideal for parties and exercise' written across the front. Lilia's father pulled a face but made no reply as his wife came in through the back door clutching a bunch of flowers.

"You're early," she exclaimed as she began arranging the flowers into a vase to set on the table.

"Why do you sound so surprised?" her brother asked, his voice full of mock hurt.

"Hello Aunty Liz," Carol greeted her, and Lilia's mother smiled at her niece.

"Hello Carol, it's good to see you," she told her earnestly, "and hello Captain Marcus," she smiled slyly at her brother. Alex rolled his eyes,

"I haven't been officially promoted yet!" he exclaimed.

"Uncle Alex, will you get your own ship?" Lian called from where he already sat at the table. His uncle nodded,

"I hope so, son, that's usually what Captains get."

"How fast will it go?" Lian asked, clearly excited by the idea of his uncle captaining his own starship. Alex opened his mouth to reply but his sister cut him off,

"You can ask your uncle more questions in a moment, Lian, but first give him some time to get a drink." She opened a cupboard and pulled out a bottle of wine and held it up to him. Alex laughed and winked at Lian,

"Your mother knows just how to shut me up," he joked. The family gathered round for drinks while Lilia's father finished cooking and served up their meal of chicken breast, boiled potatoes and peas. They all took a seat at the table, the three girls on one side with their mother and Lian opposite and both men either end of the table. Conversation struck up again as food was served, and Lilia settled into the meal.

"So Lilia, what are you doing at school?" Alex asked some time later when they were changing over to pudding.

"Lily's learning about supermen," Lian announced before his sister could speak.

"We're learning about the Eugenics Wars," Lilia clarified at her uncle's bemused expression. He looked surprised,

"Aren't you a bit young for that?" he glanced up his sister.

"I'm nearly 13," Lilia protested, getting an encouraging look from her mother. Alex blinked,

"13? I thought you were younger, I am getting forgetful in my old age…" he mumbled humorously before pulling his attention back together, "so what do you make of it all?"

"Well, we've only just started learning about it," Lilia began, "but I'm a little confused by it."

"Oh?" Alex left the word hanging, accepting a bowl of ice cream from Lilia's father. Lilia exchanged a brief look with her mother before continuing,

"I don't know why we would want to change the way we are, even if it's for a good cause. I know there are good things about change, but I think there are some things that shouldn't ever be changed, like our natural genes."

"What about those born with genetic deficiencies?" her uncle asked, intrigued.

"That's sad, but we can cure most of them after they've been born with transplants and other things," Lilia answered, "but changing ourselves so we're 'better'…I don't think it's a good idea."

"What's wrong with being better?"

"There's nothing wrong with being better," Lilia thought a moment, "it's just how you get there. Some people are naturally better at sports than others, but only because they train and put in the effort. If everyone was already really good at sports, no-one would be better."

"But if everyone was equally good at the same thing, wouldn't that mean no-one would fight over it?"

"Yes, I suppose so, but it would also mean that no-one would be good at it and no-one would be bad."

"So they'd be equal?"

"Yes…"

"What's wrong with being equal?" Alex's eyes were twinkling and Lilia knew he was just playing with her, but there was still a serious element to their conversation and Lilia liked to think.  
"If everyone was equal…" she thought aloud, "then no-one would be special. I mean, I think that people should equal _rights_ and the same laws should apply to anyone, but if everyone was equal at _everything_, there'd be no…imagination in the world." Her uncle nodded, apparently satisfied with her answer,

"You make a good argument, Lilia, and I agree with you. If everyone was the same, then we'd be like robots."

"I want to be a robot!" Lian finally burst into the conversation, annoyed that he'd been excluded for so long. The family laughed and the talk turned to more light-hearted matters, but Lilia kept her contribution to a minimum, absorbed in her thoughts.

She remembered watching a movie when she was younger about superheroes with superpowers and a supervillain who didn't have superpowers but was still a supervillain. When the supervillain had captured one of the superheroes and all seemed lost, he'd boasted about how he'd make everyone in the world a superhero, and then when everyone in the world was a superhero…no-one would be.

It had taken a few years for Lilia to understand what he meant, but now she understood. If everyone was special, then being special would lose its meaning and there would be no special. And that brought her back to her History lesson; why were the scientists trying to make something special that was already special enough? Her mother was right when she said humans weren't perfect, but most of them tried their best and that's what made them special, what made them human.

Sighing inwardly, Lilia scooped up her nearly melted ice cream and ate quietly as her thoughts mulled over in her head like a spider's web. And deep in space, unseen by any eye for centuries, floated a simple sleeper ship containing cargo of a bloody past, and a dark future.

* * *

**Please do read and review, as well as sign up to story alert if you're interested! I know this chapter was basically a history lesson/ethical debate but it gets better, I promise :P I was basically just introducing the characters, and yes that is the future Admiral Marcus!**

**Any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask :)**

**Best wishes,**

**Magic x**

**PS - Cookies to those who know which movie Lilia was thinking of!**


	2. A Day in the Life

**Welp. I haven't updated in a while...sorry guys :3**

* * *

**Chapter 1 - A Day in the Life**

_One day like this a year would see me right - Elbow (One Day Like This)_

* * *

**Stardate 2258.121 - 12th January 2258**

Lilia was sleeping soundly, happily suspended in a peaceful, dreamless state. But it was not to last, and an insistent beeping noise broke through her slumber, forcing her to wake. Automatically reaching over, she silenced the offending alarm and lay still a moment longer, giving her body time to wake up and blinking sleep from her eyes. Low muttering and rustling announced the stirring of her roommate, and Lilia quietly slipped out of bed. Stumbling to the bathroom, she washed and dried her face, before tiptoeing over to her wardrobe and retrieving her uniform. Once dressed, she dragged a brush through her hair, throwing it up into a neat bun before casting an eye over herself in the full length mirror.

A young woman of 22 stared back at her, dressed in the blue attire of a medical officer with a standard Starfleet com attached to her chest. She had dark brown hair and a medium figure, with a plain face comprised of a wide mouth and small nose that seemed out of proportion to the rest of her face. Her eyes were a simple brown colour, possessing no particular spark or trait, and all in all she was no thing of beauty.

Behind her, Lilia's roommate yawned loudly and the young medic left the quarters quickly, having learned from experience to avoid her companion's grumpy morning moods. She headed for the mess hall, and when she arrived there weren't that many crewmembers up and about this early in the morning, so she was able to find a table to herself and settled down to a breakfast of porridge mixed with dried fruit and honey.

Glancing out of the hall window, she glimpsed the stars that stretched far beyond her line of sight, and as she sipped her tea she wondered how many had been visited and catalogued by Starfleet, and more importantly, how many would she herself encounter?! She'd always wanted to explore the galaxy, and combined with her natural urge to help others, becoming a medic at Starfleet was an excellent opportunity. Currently in her third year at Starfleet, she'd taken the year out as every other med student did in order to gain first-hand experience in a working environment. She'd applied for a number of places at various hospitals and institutions on other federation worlds, but one by one she'd been turned down. She had been looking at another year on Earth before her uncle stepped in with a work placement offer on a space station near Jupiter, and here she was.

"Earth to Smith, Earth to Smith. Come in, Smith," a voice announced from out of the blue and Lilia blinked in surprise as a figure slid onto the seat opposite her. Realising who it was, she smiled,

"Morning, Clara."

"Good morning, Lilia," her friend replied, a towel draped around her shoulders, catching the occasional drop from her still damp hair.

"Nice workout?" Lilia asked politely. Clara shrugged,

"Ok, nothing special," she answered, digging into her own breakfast of Andorian fruit salad. The two friends exchanged further pleasantries and the noise level began to rise as the hall filled with more crewmembers. Lilia noticed a few of the young men eyeing Clara appreciatively, as her friend was still dressed in her workout gear; skin tight top and shorts which showed off her generous figure. If Clara knew of the attention she was getting, she made no comment on it, but the slightly mischievous glint to her eyes told Lilia her friend knew exactly what she was doing. It was all Lilia could do not to roll her eyes at the other woman's tantalising ways.

Soon after, they were joined by a few other friends and their table filled up as people muttered morning greetings to each other, gearing up for another work day at the space station. Not one for crowded places, Lilia finished her bowl quickly and excused herself, squeezing Clara's shoulder as she passed in a friendly 'see you later' gesture, since they were both medics and worked the same shift.

Feeling energised and ready to work, Lilia made for the Sick Bay where she found the Chief Medic, a middle aged woman named Tracey who possessed vibrant red hair and a trill-like laugh.

"It's nice to see you so eager to work, my dear," Tracey greeted her with a grin, used to Lilia's occasional early arrivals, "and as it happens, the lab have run out of Thylipsien Hydroxide IV so if you could whip up a batch I'd be most grateful. 100 millilitres should do it." Smiling, Lilia obliged and set herself up at one of the chemical stations, collecting the necessary materials and equipment.

* * *

20 millilitres later and the rest of the medical team had arrived, going about their various duties and chatting amiably amongst themselves. Clara joined Lilia at the chemical station and the two friends split the workload between them, both of them settling into a comfortable silence as they ploughed on with the task at hand.

And thus, another work day on Space Station Ares-Delta began.

"Girlies, could I borrow you for a moment?" Tracey called to Clara and Lilia from near the Sick Bay's entrance. The two friends set down their afternoons work and obligingly joined the older medical officer, finding her stood beside two stacks of vacuum sealed boxes.

"Could you please take these to Lab 7? They've run out of a few things and need a stock up," Tracey told them. The girls nodded,

"Of course, Trace," Clara answered for them both.

"They're a little heavy, but I figured since you're both strong young women you can handle the load," the medic winked at them, and Clara laughed.

"At your service, ma'am," she replied, flexing her muscles. Lilia just smiled, possessing no physical strength to boast of and little stamina. Still, she could manage a few boxes. Tracey hurried away, leaving them to split the load between them and haul the items into their arms. Clara eyed Lilia over her own boxes,

"Are you ok with those?" she asked, sounding a little uncertain. Her friend teetered slightly where she stood; the boxes weren't that heavy, but they did reach to her face, giving her a restricted view. Lilia nodded,

"Yeah, I think so…I should be fine," she assured her friend. Clara gave her a bemused, doubtful look, before shrugging and turning out of the sick bay, leaving Lilia to follow in her wake.

The journey to the labs took a few minutes, but the distance was tiny compared to the half hour it took to go from one side of the station to another; Space Station Ares-Delta was no observation site, and it was a mile across at its widest point. When they arrived at Lab 7, Clara skilfully balanced her load and keyed in the access code, standing back slightly as the doors slid open. Lilia made to follow her friend inside, but was thrown when the other woman sidestepped suddenly, as if avoiding something. The young medic discovered too late what her friend had been avoiding, as a block figure collided with her, knocking her off her feet and sending her crashing to the ground. She let out an 'oof' as her back connected with the hard floor, and she lay temporarily winded as her boxes lay fallen with her. Blinking, she looked up at the figure who had paused briefly over her.

Colour flooded her cheeks as she realised who it was, and she hastened to get to her feet, wincing at her bruised tailbone.

"I'm so-sorry," she spluttered, gathering her boxes and looking anywhere but the figure, "I didn't see you…I didn't mean to…sorry." When there was no reply she risked a glance up, meeting two cold, calculating eyes. Lilia froze like a deer in the headlights, before suddenly the contact was broken and the figure turned and stalked away.

Lilia's flush deepened until she felt sure she was tomato red, and she chewed her bottom lip in anxiety as she sat on the floor, dismissed. She'd just been knocked over by John Harrison, resident ice-man come sex-on-a-stick, Clara and her roommate's words respectively. Indeed, Harrison was a very attractive man, with a tall lean frame, handsome chiselled features, gorgeous dark locks, piercing blue eyes, and cheekbones you could cut yourself on. He was one of the Commanders at the station, and was considered a genius by most, but he was also considered rude and anti-social, shunning most people's company and talking down to others. And yet, despite his hardened ways, Lilia couldn't help but feel there was more to him than met the eye, and in spite of herself, she had formed a strange attachment to the man, a sort of fascination over his ice-like nature.

"Lilia!" cried Clara, setting down her own load and rushing to her friend, "are you ok?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Lilia assured her, "I just fell." Clara glanced at the retreating figure, her eyes narrowing,

"Jerk," she muttered fiercely.

"It was an accident, I'm fine," Lilia repeated, allowing her friend to help her to her feet.

"Accident or not, he should have apologised!" Clara cried indignantly. Lilia looked at her feet, keeping her silence.

"Lilia?" a new voice was heard, from the lab, and seconds later a woman appeared in the doorway. Age had treated Elizabeth Smith well, and she had few grey hairs and wrinkles to show for it. She wore a long lab coat which fitted her like a glove, and protective goggles hung around her neck, her hair tied up in a bun like Lilia's.

"Harrison just knocked Lilia over," Clara announced bluntly, looking accusingly at Elizabeth as if it were somehow her fault. The scientist's face fell,

"Oh," her lips pursed, "I'm sorry about that, girls." Harrison may have been cold and blunt, but oddly enough he had formed a sort of friendship with Lilia's mother. They worked closely together as joint head of the Science Division, but Lilia had noticed that Harrison seemed much more civil and even relaxed around her mother, and she was one of very few he hadn't shunned or patronised in any way. Lilia wasn't quite sure what to make of it all, and though she could understand why her mother, a strong, maternal woman, would befriend Harrison, a self-made social outcast, their relationship seemed to go deeper than that, in ways Lilia couldn't explain.

The young medic was jolted from her thoughts as Clara opened her mouth to make a cutting retort regarding Harrison's lack of manners, and she knew she had to act fast.

"We brought supplies," she blurted, gesturing the boxes. Her mother glanced at them, then smiled in relief,

"Excellent, you're right on time." Waving the girls in, Lilia retrieved her load and followed Clara into the lab. Like most laboratories it had rows of raised tables, all manner of equipment scattered across the surfaces with multi-coloured liquids bubbling away, and it smelt like a mixture of disinfectant and some kind of floral perfume.

"Just pop them over there," Elizabeth told them, pointing towards a reasonably empty corner of the room, "oh, but can you bring one to me?" Lilia obliged, and her mother shot her a grateful smile, "thank you. How are you? I'm so sorry we haven't spoken in a while." The young medic shrugged lopsidedly,

"It's fine, I know how busy you are. But I'm good, thanks, how are you?"

"Busy," Elizabeth replied, pulling a face as she opened the box and extracted several vials of liquid, examining them before nodding in content and setting them aside.

"I spoke to Manda last night," Lilia mentioned, picking up and empty test tube and running it between her fingers.

"Oh? How is she?" her mother asked, slightly distracted by the box's contents.

"She's well, also very busy," Lilia informed her, "but she's enjoying the work."

"Good, I'm glad," Elizabeth murmured, then she glanced at Lilia, apparently just remembering something, "oh yes, your brother called…he was complaining about not hearing from you in a while. Have you been neglecting him?"

"Not intentionally," Lilia replied with a sheepish smile, "I'll ring him this evening."

"And your father sends his love," her mother went on. The young medic frowned,

"When did you speak to him?" Elizabeth seemed to think for a moment, then returned her daughter's sheepish smile,

"Several days ago, and your brother at least a week ago…I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," she sighed, and Lilia could tell she was frustrated with herself. Smiling gently, she places a hand on her mother's arm,

"It's ok, mama, I understand. You've got a lot on your plate, but you're doing such a fantastic job." Elizabeth smiled fondly at her daughter,

"Thank you, Lily. I know, while you're here, why don't we schedule a dinner together?" Lilia's face brightened considerably,

"Yes!" Her mother chuckled,

"Excellent, shall we say…what's the date today?"

"Tuesday," Lilia replied.

"How's Sunday?"

"Sounds good to me."

"Excellent, I'll put it in the diary." Lilia smiled to herself as her mother scrawled a note to herself on her hand, next to a complex looking equation. Her mother might be a workaholic, but she did know the importance of social interaction and family time, even if Lilia had only seen her in sporadic bursts over the past 6 months.

A thought suddenly came to her and she bit her lip in worry,

"Mama?" she began, "will Harrison be there?" Elizabeth looked up at her, her face softening into sympathy when she noted her words,

"No, I won't put either of you through that again." What she was referring to had happened a couple of months back, when Lilia, her mother and Harrison had dined together one evening. It had not gone down well; Lilia had been too shy to talk, Harrison had been his usual anti-social self and didn't talk, making it quite clear he disliked her company, and her mother ended up holding a one-sided conversation with herself. Lilia, for one, was not keen on a repeat of that episode.

"Thank you," Lilia told her mother sincerely, and Elizabeth uttered a short, dry laugh, as if at some private joke.

"How goes the work, Mrs Smith?" Clara had joined them, looking around the lab with polite interest.

"Challenging, but in a good way," Lilia's mother replied, "and how's life in the sick bay?"

"Hectic," Clara responded.

"Manageable," Lilia added the light correction. Elizabeth nodded,

"Just as long as Tracey's not working you too hard." The trio shared a laugh, all 3 of them knowing that Lieutenant Tracey was an excellent medic and officer, but let her staff get away with so much it was almost criminal. And yet, they still managed to meet demands on time.

With regret, Elizabeth informed the girls of her pressing work, and the girls took that as their cue to leave, calling farewells as they left the lab, heading for the sick bay. Clara was oddly quiet for the start of their journey, and Lilia could feel questions brewing. Bracing herself, she sent up a quick prayer they wouldn't be too embarrassing.

"Why do you like Harrison?" her friend came straight out with it, not one for glossing things over when she didn't have to. Lilia blushed, glancing around to check they were alone in their corridor.

"I d-don't like him," she stuttered quietly. Clara gave her a look,

"Seriously Lilia, I've seen the way you look at him…and you never pay attention to any of the other men here." Lilia made no reply, silenced by her friend's observations. "I mean, he's handsome alright, don't get me wrong…but he's also…"

"Weird, creepy and anti-social?" Lilia finished, having heard the words from her friends own mouth in relation to Harrison. Clara laughed lightly,

"Yeah." Lilia thought a moment, then tilted her head,

"I don't know," she answered honestly, still unsure why she was even taken in by the tall dark stranger that was Harrison; maybe she was being influenced by those romance novels she used to read about mysterious handsome men who appeared from nowhere and seduced a young woman before revealing themselves to be a monster. Then again, they were just novels from centuries long past.

"I really can't see the attraction, beyond the physical, that is. And I know you're not just into the physical, like Melody," Clara scowled at the name, and Lilia glanced sideways at her. Melody was Lilia's roommate, the one who was grumpy in the morning and thought Harrison was sex-on-a-stick and had apparently made it her goal to sleep with every young male at the station…including Harrison. Lilia tolerated Melody because she had to, and she wasn't one for confrontation anyway, but Clara hated her roommate's guts, and wasn't afraid to voice it. Anxious to avoid another 'I hate Melody rant', Lilia scrambled for something to say,

"He's really smart," she offered.

"So? Brains only count for so much," Clara retorted.

"He's strong."

"So am I, and so are a lot of people."

"He's…handsome."

"We've already established that."

Lilia sighed, visibly deflating. Clara threw an arm around her shoulders,

"Hey, I'm not trying to burst your bubble…I'm just trying to understand why a sweet, innocent girl like you would be interested in a bad boy like Harrison," she told her in a teasing tone. Lilia flushed, looking down at the ground,

"He's not a bad boy," she murmured.

"Please," Clara scoffed, "he wears nothing but black, never smiles…and I bet he's got tattoos." Lilia shot her a dubious look, but her friend only shrugged, "he might!" Lilia shook her head, and for a moment they walked in silence, passing by a few fellow workers.

"Look," Clara began, more quietly so they weren't overheard, "I don't get why you're interested in him, and I probably never will. I've said it before, and I'll say it again…I don't like him, and I don't trust him. But, being the loyal friend that I am…I will support whatever decision you make, even if it's a stupidass decision. Are we clear?" Lilia gave her friend a small smile,

"Thank you, Clara, you're a really good friend."

"I know, darling, I know," Clara patted her arm, returning the smile with a cheeky one of her own.

Arriving back at the sick bay, they carried on with their previous work, and Lilia found herself drifting as she thought over her friends words. Did she really like Harrison in a _like_ like way? It didn't feel that way, though she could describe it as a distorted crush. However, that still didn't answer the question of _why_ she liked him in the first place. There was just…something about him, that she couldn't put her finger on, and perhaps she never would. As for whether she and Harrison would ever get so far as to becoming friends, let alone anything more, well…the chances were a million to one even for that. Firstly, she was plain, shy, and unremarkable. And secondly, he was strong, handsome, and confident. They simply weren't compatible. Besides, Lilia was only working at the station for another 5 months, and after that she'd probably never see Harrison again, so anything she did build between them would only crumble within weeks.

Sighing, Lilia resigned herself to watching from a distance, as she had done throughout her life, and would do so for many years to come, no doubt. And in the depths of the space station, one man's ambition bred weapons of war and destruction, while another's man heart bled dark thoughts of revenge.

* * *

**Better. Faster. Stronger. I promise you folks, if you stick by me then I guarantee you a ride to remember...!**

**Please drop a review! Do you fancy Harrison/Khan? Don't lie to me...I know you do! (Because let's be honest, who couldn't love that sexy devil?!)**

**Oh, and shout out to Akumo who made fanart for the original scene where Clara calls Harrison a 'bad' boy' and I really love it! You can find it in my DeviantArt favourites (Magic-Of-Every-Kind is my username) and enjoy it as much as I do :D**

**Best wishes,**

**Magic x**


	3. Events of an Evening

**So I haven't updated in donkeys years...but all I can really say is sorry :( **

**I have reasons, but I won't bore you with them...I'll just let you read!**

**Enjoy :D**

* * *

**Chapter 2 - Events of an Evening**

_Coincidence is the word we use when we can't see the levers and pulleys - Emma Bull_

* * *

**Stardate 2258.75 - 7th May 2258**

"Lilia, have you seen my green heels?" Clara called from her quarters. Lilia shook her head to herself from where she stood by the door,

"No," she called back. Her friend muttered in irritation, and the sound of clothes and things being shoved around reached Lilia's ears. A happy exclamation and moment later, Clara appeared at the door with a small frown on her face.

"How do I look?" she asked, twirling slightly on the spot. She wore a strapless emerald green dress that showed off her figure and fair skin, complimented by her heels and green eye shadow.

"You look fantastic," Lilia assured her with a genuine smile. Her friend beamed at her,

"Thank you! You look great too!" she said, gesturing Lilia's own outfit, a simple lavender dress that was neither flattering nor exposing, combined with white leggings and plain white sandals.

"Thanks," Lilia replied, knowing she could never compare to Clara on a night like this, "shall we go?" The two friends set off, joining the steady throng of crewmembers heading towards the mess hall. They had now been working at the station a full 8 months and the senior staff had decided to throw the crew a social get together as a break from their workload. All week, Lilia had been forced to listen to fellow crewmembers prattling on and on about what they were going to wear, who they were going with, which unlucky folk had drawn the short straws and still had to work shifts. Clara and Lilia had quickly agreed to go together, since neither of them particularly wanted a date, and weren't bothered about it in the first place. In truth, Lilia wasn't much looking forward to the occasion, not being one for large social gatherings, but Clara had been so excited about it, she didn't have the heart to refuse to go. She'd stay a while and then excuse herself before her peers got too drunk, and that way she could avoid any hassle.

When they arrived at the mess hall there was pleasant music playing in the background, and the sound of chattering filled the air as the crew stood in groups, laughing and chatting away, glasses of wine in their hand. Lilia followed Clara to their group of friends, noting how many of the women had used this evening as an opportunity to throw off any formalities and let their hair down, clearly enjoying the attention they were getting for their efforts. The men had made an effort too, shaving and putting on smart-casual suits, most of them looking comfortably at ease in the party environment. Already Lilia could tell she was in the minority, being as she was slightly socially awkward and uncomfortable in large crowds.

Clara and Lilia were part of a small friendship group who had all sprung from their shift at the sick bay. There were only five of them, the two friends, another young woman called Mira, a young Andorian called Shral and a recently qualified doctor called Leonardo. They got on well enough, and once the round of greetings and compliments were over, most of which went to Mira and Clara, the group fell into easy conversation.

As the evening passed, Lilia began to relax, pleasantly surprised by how easy she felt simply listening to the conversation of her friends, even if she wasn't taking full part in them. It gave her time to people watch too, something which she'd always found interesting. She spotted Melody in a hot pink dress giggling and flirting with her fellow communications officers, no doubt going on about her 'talented tongue'. Her mother stood with other senior members, dressed in a flattering blue dress, engaged in serious conversation with one of the resident captains. Harrison could be seen behind her, apparently keeping to the shadows as he avoided all company, his cold eyes sweeping the room with disinterest; he hadn't even bothered to dress for the evening, still in his usual day wear. For the briefest moment, his gaze flicked towards her and Lilia turned away before they could make contact, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks as she prayed he hadn't seen her watching him. She didn't dare look back over, concentrating on Mira as she described a prank she'd witnessed as a first year cadet, trying to seem interested.

But she could only hold out for so long, and by the time people were on their dozenth glass of wine and had taken to the make-shift dance floor, Lilia was feeling suitably weary from the atmosphere. It had been alright at the beginning, when people were sober and the talk mildly stimulating, but the gradual consumption of alcohol had seen things gradually take a turn for the worst. She'd retreated to a corner with Clara and Leonardo, but the two were engaged in a passionate wine-fuelled debate on Klingon politics, and Lilia was left sitting alone, watching her peers get drunker by the minute, their rowdy laughter making her wince.

"Hey Lilia, do you mind if I join you?" a voice made the young medic look up to see a young woman with short cut blond hair. Her eyes lit up in recognition,

"Carol! Of course," she shuffled over, giving her cousin room to sit, secretly pleased for the company.

"Here, I got you a sparkling elderflower," the science officer handed her a glass of sparkling liquid, and Lilia accepted it with a grateful smile.

"Thank you," she took a sip of the drink, "I'm not so into wine, or any alcohol, for that matter." Her cousin nodded in understanding,

"It's an acquired taste," she replied, taking a swig of her own drink, "dad's always trying to get me into wine, but I'm much more of a beer girl."

"Is he here?" Lilia asked, "I haven't seen him in a while."

"He isn't," Carol murmured in answer, "and neither have I," and for a moment her brow creased into a small frown, as if troubled, but it quickly disappeared when she turned to Lilia. "So, how's it all going in Sick Bay?"

The cousins proceeded to chat for a while, exchanging stories and generally catching up with each other. Carol had already been at the station when Lilia arrived, but they hadn't had much time to see each other, both of them busy with work, Carol in engineering and Lilia in medical. They passed by each other occasionally, giving each other smiles and brief words of greeting before hurrying on, but in the full eight months Lilia had been on board, she'd only had a proper catch up with Carol twice. When Carol's mother, Lilia's aunt, had died all those years ago, it had been a real bonding experience for the cousins, since Uncle Alex had always been coming over for tea and dinner. Manda and Carol always got on best and were still great friends, but they never excluded Lilia from their activities, inviting her into their games and chats, offering her advice on boys and school work. It was because of Manda and Carol that Lilia had even applied to Starfleet, since both of them were already cadets at the time, and thoroughly enjoying every minute of it. Lilia had been certain she wasn't smart enough for Starfleet, sure she would end up in a low-class Earth hospital. But her cousins were having none of it and encouraged her endlessly until she relented and applied, surprising only herself when she was accepted; her family knew she was smarter than she thought she was.

It wasn't until a young officer approached and asked Carol to dance that the cousins halted their conversation. Lilia could see the eagerness in the other woman's eyes and gave her reassuring smiles as she accepted the man's hand, letting him whish her away with a breathless grin. But once her cousin had gone, Lilia was left alone once more, feeling a greater sense of loss for the company that she'd had. Leonardo and Clara had disappeared she didn't know where, and Mira and Shral were clearly enjoying themselves on the dance-floor. Sighing, Lilia sat back in her seat, rubbing her empty glass in her hands.

Suddenly, a nearby commotion drew her attention and she glanced over to see a very drunk Melody trying to coerce a stone cold Harrison to dance with her. Lilia frowned subconsciously as she watched her room-mate smile and giggle through heavy eyelids, her hands caressing Harrisons shoulder as she whispered in his ear. The man's expression remained impassive, though he looked a little disgusted, and he answered her curtly, obviously rejecting her. Unfortunately, Melody was too intoxicated and too determined to take the hint, only ramping up her efforts to get him to dance with her. Lilia wanted to look away from the outrageous display, aware of Melody's whiles and tactics that could secure her almost any man on the station, but her eyes were glued by some unknown force.

What occurred next happened so fast, Lilia was half certain she was seeing things. One moment Melody was curling her hand around Harrison's face, practically sitting on his lap, her dress hitched up nearly around her hips, and then the next moment she was on her back. Lilia blinked. Harrison rose to his feet, straightening his ruffled uniform with a quick jerk before stalking off, leaving Melody on the ground. Few had noticed the sudden turn in events, but those who had rushed to help the floored woman to her feet, offering murmured condolences and pushing another glass of wine into her hand. Lilia sat where she was, momentarily stunned at what had just passed; had Harrison really just floored her room-mate just for making passes at him? She might have been laying it on too thick, and she might have even deserved it, but still…? Lilia's lips thinned, and all of a sudden she needed to get out, to find some peace and quiet away from the noise and the crowd of alcohol soaked officers.

Getting to her feet she slipped from the hall unnoticed, exhaling slowly as she put the gathering further behind her with each step, already feeling better for the lack of confinement. She began to wander almost aimlessly, half believing that the station was deserted since nearly everyone was at the party and she didn't encounter another soul. After a while, the only sound reaching her ears was the own 'pat pat' of her shoes against the floor, and the faint hum of energy running through the station.

* * *

She hadn't been focusing on where she was going, finally realising at a dark junction that she had no idea where she was; she'd never been to this part of the station. She frowned and glanced back from where she'd come, wondering if she should retrace her steps. But part of her wanted to explore more, to find out where she was and risk protocol. Lilia bit her lip, torn between returning to the familiar path, or stepping further into the unknown. Eventually, her curiosity got the better of her, and she ploughed on, her steps more cautious and her body more alert.

She passed sections in the wall with numbered code written on them, and she thought she might be in the weapons division of the station, but she wasn't sure. There were doors here and there, but they all needed codes and special passes for entrance, and she didn't want to raise suspicion by trying to break in.

Suddenly, footsteps reached her ears rapidly approaching her position, and she froze mid step as a figure appeared at the end of the corridor. To her surprise, she realised it was Harrison, and he didn't seem to have noticed her presence. She watched as he marched straight up to a door with the restricted sign overhead, glancing subtly to his left and right before trying to gain entrance. Lilia stood still, fascinated, as he tried and failed to gain access to the room beyond, his clearance being repeatedly rejected.

With obvious irritation, he turned from the door, striding away and disappearing as quickly as he had arrived. Intrigued, Lilia waited until his footsteps had faded before approaching the same door herself; it was high security, senior officer access only, but Harrison was a Commander, so surely he would have been able to enter? More out of curiosity than anything, she tried her own pass. Her eyebrows rose as she wasn't immediately rejected, the command nearly going through before it finally spat her card out once more, denying her entrance. Curious, but still ignorant, she made to leave.

Out of nowhere strong arms grabbed her, and before she could even cry out someone had pulled her into the shadows of an alcove. She struggled briefly, trying to remember her defensive training, but whoever had her was pinning her tightly and she couldn't even move. A hand clamped over her mouth, silencing her, and panic rose in her veins.

"Be still," a voice hissed softly in her ear. She stopped struggling at once, her eyes widening in astonishment as she recognised the voice. Looking up, she found herself looking into the pale face of John Harrison, his eyes piercing her own, demanding her obedience. Frozen in shock, she could only stare back, held firm by his vice-like grip.

It was then she heard the sound of more footsteps, and from the corner of her eye she saw another senior officer approach the same door she and Harrison had tried. They entered their pass and code, the doors sliding open a moment later, and they disappeared from view, an ominous click shutting them in. Confused and more than a little frightened, Lilia waited to see what Harrison would do next.

The man seemed to breathe a sigh of relief that they had gone un-noticed, before turning his sharp gaze on her once more.

"Why were you following me?" he muttered, his voice hard and cold. He removed his hand from her mouth to allow her to reply, and Lilia gaped at him.

"I-I wasn't!" she cried when she finally found her voice, stuttering like mad, "I j-just went for a w-walk and I ended up h-here!" Harrison narrowed his eyes at her, his gaze calculating as he mulled over her words, deciding on their authenticity.

Lilia suddenly noticed how close they were; he was holding her tight against his chest, restricting her movement, and their faces were so close she could count his eyelashes. All at once a terrific heat rose in her body and she felt her cheeks redden, and she tried to pull away. Harrison let her go, and she stumbled away from him into the spacious corridor, feeling more flustered than she'd ever felt in her life.

"My apologies," was all the man said to her, his eyes never once leaving her own before he span on his heel and walked away, leaving her staring after him, stunned. Raising her hand to her cheeks, she felt how hot they were, and embarrassment flooded her as she realised how openly she'd reacted to their proximity. She felt like a stupid school-girl who'd accidentally touched her crush for the first time, and inwardly she berated herself for giving herself away so easily. She was in little doubt that he would have seen her flaming cheeks, and her open eyes would have been a dead giveaway. Groaning to herself, she wanted to curl into a ball and let the floor swallow her up; she was a grown woman, for crying out loud, couldn't she even get a hold on herself? She didn't even like Harrison in that way!

Once again, she was struck with the insatiable need to somewhere, and her mind immediately alighted on the one place that could provide her with fresh air in the middle of space; the botany bay.

A few minutes later, and she was keying in her code to the bay, relief flooding her as the doors opened to reveal the green beyond. She smiled as she entered, immediately losing herself in the smell of fresh vegetation, the colours of the flowers, the aura of life that filled the air. She sighed in content, letting her fingers brush against the leaves of a maturing Vulcan Nakre, relishing in the swollen feel of the plant, rich with water. She had always felt at home amongst plants, her father being a botanist and frequently taking her and her family on walks and treks to find some new plant life. Being surrounded by so much life could make her forget she was even in space, and for one glorious moment she could imagine herself to be on a strange new world, discovering new life for the first time, revelling in the excitement of adventure. Feeling distinctly elated, she began to hum to herself, an old favourite of hers that reminded her of centuries long ago.

So caught up in her own little world, she didn't even notice the presence of another until they spoke aloud, breaking her train of thought.

"Your Song." Lilia started, nearly falling over as she swivelled abruptly to the voice. She paled in recognition, blinking as she immediately began to apologise once again,

"I'm not following you, I promise," she blurted, "I just came here for fresh air, I promise." Harrison watched her with an expression that looked almost amused, though still retaining its stony nature.

"Your Song, by Elton John," he went on as if she hadn't spoken, "that's what you were humming." Lilia looked at him in surprise, taken aback that he would recognise such an ancient melody,

"Y-yes," she clarified, "how did you know?" She bit her lip after this, wondering if she was pushing things. If Harrison seemed bothered by her question, he didn't show it, a tiny smile coming to his lips.

"It is an old favourite of mine," was all he said. What followed was an eerie silence that felt extremely awkward for Lilia as she scrabbled to come up with a decent response.

"I like it too," she eventually replied, but as soon as the words left her mouth she wanted to take them back, they sounded so childish! Mentally, she was slapping herself around the face; she was completely losing it, and over a guy! What made it worse was when she realised Harrison was still watching her, looking at her as if she were an interesting animal at the zoo, behaving abnormally. And so Lilia decided to let her animal instincts take over.

"I'm tired, so, er…I'm going to go to bed," she backed away as she spoke, nearly tripping over a sprouting oak. "Good night, Harrison." With that, she did the only thing her mind was telling her to do; she turned and fled.

She didn't stop until she'd reached her quarters, collapsing onto her bed, gasping like a fish. Melody wasn't back yet, thankfully, and so she had time to compose herself, going over and over in her head how stupid she was and how Harrison was just a man and she was completely overreacting. Finally, she calmed down enough to get into her pyjamas, diving headfirst into her 'Sherlock Holmes' novel to take her mind off things.

* * *

When the door slid open, she looked up in surprise, half-convinced she'd actually been in Victorian England tracking a ghostly dog across the moor. To her relief, it was Clara who stood in the doorway, still in her party dress, looking very happy and just a little tipsy.

"Hey! Have you been here all the time? We missed you," she said, perching on the end of Lilia's bed.

"I was tired," the young medic replied, "figured I'd hit the sack early." Clara gave her a sceptical look,

"It's gone 1 in the morning." Lilia had no reply to that so simply asked,

"How was the party?"

"Oh, it was great," her friend answered with a grin, "Leonardo is actually a really great guy." Lilia smiled knowingly, and Clara laughed, "what? He is! And he's a good kisser," she went on dreamily, making Lilia pull a face.

"So are you guys a thing?" she enquired politely. Clara shrugged,

"I don't know, maybe. What about you?" she looked up at Lilia, "you looked great tonight…you see any action?"

In the blink of an eye Lilia was back in the alcove with Harrison, his chest flush against hers, his arms strong and protective, his lips tantalisingly close. She quickly shook her head,

"No, none at all." Thankfully, Clara was too tipsy to see her blush, and she stumbled to her feet.

"Ah well, maybe next time," she half slurred, "I'm going to bed too. See you at breakfast, ok?" Lilia nodded, murmuring a good night as her friend left the room, tottering slightly. The door slid shut and Lilia fell back in her bed, reaching for her book. But it was no use; the words blurred into meaningless jargon and she had the beginnings of a headache. Giving up, she marked her page and turned out the light, wriggling further into the comfort of her bed.

As her eyes drifted closed, she thought of Harrison and how she'd bumped into him twice in one night. If it happened again and she managed to pull herself together, maybe she could even hold a decent conversation with him, providing the circumstances were right. Maybe they could still become friends, in the few months she had left at the station, but she didn't count on it.

And yet, as sleep descended on her, one last memory came to mind, from when she was fleeing the botany bay, three little words that she'd almost missed, now brought to her before her slumber.

"Good night, Smith."

* * *

**As ever, your reviews are very much appreciated :)**

**Next chapter - it's movie time!**

**Best wishes,**

**Magic x**

**PS - I tried to work out stardates properly, but to be honest it was too complicated and so I've simplified it :P**


End file.
